And speaking of covers...

I usually don't care which particular edition of my fiction books I buy. Dragonsinger and Dragonsong may be the only exceptions. I loved these editions when I first checked them out from my public library, and I specifically looked for them in used bookstores. I hated all the other editions I saw - the fire-lizards looked so awkward and fly-like.

I need to reread these books sometime. And maybe finally read Dragondrums in full for the first time.

My first blog to the wonderful BookLikes community :)

My name JULIA SUZUKI, author of The Land of Dragor: The Gift of Charms, first in the widely praised series.

The hardback was released and following an international publishing deal with celebrity publisher John Blake the paperback will follow soon.

We have an advanced reader copy for bloggers so do send your request to email@juliasuzuki.com.

Here are some recent reviews to you can get a taster:

British Arts Council Award 2014

“This is a classic in the making - a mythical magical fable in the tradition of Tolkein and JK Rowling”

PHIL DAMPIER, ROYAL COMMENTATOR & SUNDAY EXPRESS JOURNALIST

“A beautifully presented, wonderfully unique debut”

THE SUN NEWSPAPER

 "Action packed. This book is on fire"

DAVID LLOYD, SPORTS ENTREPRENEUR

"Unputdownable"

MUMSNET

 Sometimes you read a book that is like a big mug of hot chocolate – it’s very satisfying and warms you all the way through – and sometimes those books have some very interesting sprinkles you’ve never seen before and some uniquely coloured marshmallows you’ve never tasted before. That’s how I would describe Yoshiko and the Gift of Charms in a nutshell – or should I say a mug?

Dragons almost always take on the role of sidekick in a fantasy story and are often portrayed either as unruly pets or ethereal creatures. It is just wonderful to find a story where dragons are the main characters and humans are the mythical race. The Land of Dragor is a beautiful place to escape to, rich in detail, legend, myths and lore which is impossible not to get wound up in. In the same breath, Dragor also shares a lot of similarities to the human world: young dragons must attend school and undergo the same challenges that any human child might. I think this is what I find so captivating, Julia Suzuki has created a world of fantasy with an original mythology but has kept it grounded and relevant to children.

Yoshiko is a fantastic hero character, just like any child he has his fair share of flaws when he begins his journey – he’s self-conscious, self-pitying and has unusual physical attributes, all of which open him up to bullying from the spiteful Igorr. But as the story unfolds, so does Yoshiko’s character. His hard work and determination improve his abilities and confidence, and bring out the courage that was hiding inside him. Yoshiko is a wonderful role model and the story is peppered with important messages for children and, as an adult who loves a good story, I certainly appreciated them too! The book is packed with other well-formed and engaging characters from the overgrown bully Gandar and his terrorised but equally nasty son, Igorr, to the wise old recluse, Guya, who is definitely my favourite character. Everyone you will find in life, you will find within the pages of Yoshiko and the Gift of Charms and I think that is what is at least partly at the heart of this book: it’s a fantastic exploration of character. Each of the seven dragon clans have different character traits and flaws but this story is about finding the cure for those flaws and overcoming them. It’s about identifying why a character behaves the way they do and not judging them based on their flaws but based on what they have been through and what they have achieved, looking at what they can do rather than what they can’t.

Yoshiko and the Gift of Charms is simply a wonderful story filled with subtly delivered lessons on life which you really cannot stop learning. That’s why, if this were a film, I would give it a U certificate because it is meant for everyone and has something to give to everyone who reads it, whatever your age. I have been thoroughly charmed and fallen in love with Yoshiko and the Land of Dragor and I cannot wait for the next book – especially if it is in the same beautiful hardback format as the first!

LYRICAL REVIEWS

My Twitter UN is: @THELANDOFDRAGOR @JULIASUZUKI_UK

Website www.juliasuzuki.com and www.landofdragor.com

Goodreads: Julia Suzuki

Amazon: Julia Suzuki

Thank you

Dragon Writing